Social media (媒体) is a big part of most people's lives. There are social apps and sites like WeChat and Sina Weibo, as well as video apps like Douyin and Kuaishou. How do you behave when you use these apps?
Recently researchers at the University of Sussex, UK, studied social media users ranging from 10 to 15 years old. They found that they can be divided into four personality types.
Geeks (极客)
Geeks are active social media users, but they find it much more difficult to deal with the life in the real world. Most of them are boys who like playing computer games and making music and videos. They often post creative works online, using fake (假的) names. In fact, they should avoid spending too much time on the Internet.
Internet celebrities
Internet celebrities like sharing as well, but they are much more visible (看得见的) than geeks. They might become well-known for their singing or dancing. But many of them, especially teenagers, share almost every side of their lives in order to own more fans. Being a teenage Internet celebrity can sometimes cause problems in the real world.
Lurkers (潜伏者)
The first two groups are lucky to find a place to show their talent. But most teenagers fall into the third type—"lurkers", or people who are neither too active nor visible. This group prefers WeChat over Sina Weibo, as WeChat has private groups. They can't express themselves well but at least they make sure to protect their personal information.
Victims (受害者)
Victims don't have enough knowledge to keep themselves safe online. Their personal information can be made public and cause problems for them. To avoid being a victim, you should check your personal settings on social media. "Friends only" is a good choice for your posts. Don't share your personal information.
